Arianna Huffington once called it “the obnoxious roommate in your head.” Yep – we’re talking about the inner critic. That voice that pipes up with doubt, judgment, and unhelpful commentary, just when you’re trying to do something creative, brave, or important.

In this episode, Claire chats with hypnotherapist James Mallinson – who also happens to be Mr. Now Go Create – to explore what negative self-talk really is, why it shows up, and how to deal with it. With up to 55,000 thoughts a day bouncing around in our heads, it’s no wonder some of them get a bit loud and unhelpful. But if left unchecked, they can seriously sabotage our confidence, creativity, and resilience.

Claire and James dig into the psychology behind that inner voice, the link between our thoughts and our performance, and how to shift from a critical inner monologue to something more supportive – like an inner coach. James shares practical techniques based on years of experience helping everyone from CEOs to Olympians, along with insights from his work in hypnotherapy and as founder of the AI mental health tool, Mallo.ai.

You’ll learn why emotional prep matters just as much as practical prep, and how to quieten that tracksuit-wearing critic in your head when it threatens to derail your best efforts.

What we cover in this episode:

• Why your inner critic is such a creativity killer
• How negative self-talk holds you back – and what to do about it
• The first step to change: becoming aware of your inner dialogue
• A simple but powerful exercise to create your own inner coach
• The underrated importance of emotional preparation
• Why remembering positive feedback can be a game-changer on hard days

Meet James Mallinson

After two transformational hypnotherapy sessions in 2006, James switched careers and trained to become a clinical hypnotherapist. Since 2008, he’s clocked over 800 hours of training and has worked with thousands of people – from business leaders to musicians and athletes – to overcome personal challenges and unlock their potential.

Before retraining, James had a multi award-winning media career at the BBC and as Publishing Director at FHM. That background gives him a unique insight into the high-pressure world of creative work – and how to stay mentally fit within it. He’s also the founder of Mallo.ai, the world’s first AI hypnotherapist.

Connect with James:

Website: www.fixmymind.co.uk

Proven Clinical Therapy powered by AI: mallo.ai 

Do you have a bold story or breakthrough you want to share, or a creative challenge you want Claire to discuss next, or a creative dilemma you’d like her to tackle on the show? Email [email protected].

About Claire Bridges 

Claire Bridges is Chief Spark and Founder of leading creative training consultancy Now Go Create, whose philosophy is that everyone can be creative.

Claire worked as Managing Director and Creative Director working with global brands including Starbucks, Kellogg’s, Unilever, P&G and Danone in her previous PR career. Upskilling individuals, teams and organisations with practical creativity tools is Claire’s mission. 

She’s one of only 250 people globally to hold an MSc in Creativity, Leadership & Innovation, and authored an Amazon best-selling creative handbook In Your Creative Element based on her academic studies.

Claire and her hand-picked team of experts have worked on thousands of creative projects and trained over 40,000 people around the world since starting Now Go Create in 2011.

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Connect with Claire:

Website: https://nowgocreate.co.uk/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/nowgocreate/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NowGoCreate

LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-bridges-b6205b14

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